A76991:301
The True Bounds of Christian Freedom
The true bounds of Christian freedom or a treatise wherein the rights of the law are vindicated, the liberties of grace maintained, and the several late opinions against the law are examined and confuted. Whereunto is annexed a discourse of the learned John Cameron's, touching the threefold covenant of God with man, / faithfully translated, by Samuel Bolton minister of the word of God at Saviours-Southwark.The true bounds of Christian freedome or a treatise wherein the rights of the law are vindicated, the liberties of grace maintained, and the severall late opinions against the law are examined and confuted. Whereunto is annexed a discourse of the learned Iohn Camerons, touching the threefold covenant of God with man, / faithfully translated, by Samuel Bolton minister of the word of God at Saviours-Southwark.
London: printed by J.L. for Philemon Stephens, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This blames them who are called Antinomians. Use. 2 As the Papists do set up the law for Justification, 1so these cry down the law for Sanctification: we say we are freed from the curses; they would have us freed from the conducts, from the commands of the law: we say we are free from the penalties, but they would abolish the Precepts, &c. They tell us we make a false mixture together of Christ and Moses, and we mingle Law and Gospel together. How unjustly this charge is cast upon us, let understanding men judge. We cry down the Law in point of justification; 2but we set it up as a rule of Sanctification: The law sends us to the Gospel, that we may be justified, and the Gospel sends us to the Law again to inquire what is our duty being justified. What ever they say of the Law, though they cast contempt and disgrace on it, and upon those which preach it; yet you see for the substance of it, it is the image of God, a beam of his holiness, the ⟨p. 99⟩things commanded and forbidden, are things Morally, and therefore Eternally good and evil, nothing can alter the nature of them. Things positively good or evil, 3are alterable by him that commanded them. But those things which are Morally good or evil, God can no more alter them, then make good evil, or evil good. That which was Morally good then, is Morally good now and to be pursued and followed. That which was Morally evil then, is Morally evil now, and to be shunned and avoided. We have a Gospel rule which turns us to the obedience of the Law. You shall see the rule, Philippians 4.8. What ever things are true, what ever things are honest, what ever things are just, what ever things are pure, what ever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think of these things. And I hope the Law is of this number, the Apostle tells us that the Law is holy, just and good, certainly there is nothing commanded but what is good: if weare to learn of the Ant, the Pismire, of brute beasts, of inanimate things, certainly much ⟨p. 100⟩more are we to learn of the Law, which is the image of God in man, and the will of God to man. We have nothing to do with Moses, nor do we look to Sinai the hill of bondage, but to Zion the mountain of grace;